Archive for the 'Demetri Martin' Tag Under 'Soundcheck' Category

Finally! Actor, comedian and TV and film producer Dave Chappelle officially returns to the stage later this summer to headline the Oddball Comedy & Curiosity Festival, presented by Funny or Die.

The inaugural tour, announced Monday, will be capped by a headlining set from Chappelle, who has only performed a few impromptu gigs in clubs since infamously leaving Chappelle’s Show in 2005. Also in the lineup are Down Under musical humorists Flight of the Conchords and Aussie comic Jim Jefferies, The Daily Show's Al Madrigal, Brody Stevens, Chris D’Elia, Demetri Martin, Hannibal Buress and more.

"We always love to push the comedy boundaries at Funny or Die and this festival will do just that," said Dick Glover, that online outlet's CEO, in a press release. "It's the perfect blend of comedy and crazy that will for sure resonate with comedy fans looking for a one of a kind experience."

Dozens of new shows are going on sale this weekend but a majority of the biggest ones were already announced weeks ago. So let's start with a few that are brand spankin' new.

Thought Kings of Leon's Coachella set would be the quartet's last appearance for a while? Think again. They still have their fifth album (Come Around Sundown) to promote, which they will do via a summer tour that launches in the South in July and reaches Southern California right around Labor Day. With Band of Horses as supporting act, the Kings will play Sept. 4 at Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre in Chula Vista and Sept. 8 at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine. Check back for on-sale info.

Meanwhile, Maroon 5 and Train have teamed for a co-headlining outing that kicks off July 22 at Cricket and stops July 25 at the Hollywood Bowl. Gavin DeGraw will open. Tickets for the Chula Vista show, $32-$92.50, are on sale Saturday at 10 a.m., while the Bowl gig, $25.50-$105.50, goes on sale Monday at 10 a.m.

And though we've been lax in reporting this -- put it down to post-Coachella fatigue -- by now you've likely heard that Rage Against the Machine will once more resurface to play somewhere in the greater Los Angeles area on July 30, in a bill also including Muse and Rise Against. More details when we know 'em.

For the past two years Power 106's Comedy Fiesta has taken over Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine, and usually drawn very large, even capacity crowds. All the same, this year the event is shifting locations to Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal CityWalk, where the laugh-a-thon will take place Aug. 20.

Craig Robinson (the Hot Tub Time Machine co-star pictured above, currently seen hosting Last Comic Standing, and poorly I might add) along with Jo Koy and Maz Jobrani all return to the event, along with Kevin Hart, Jeff Garcia, Earthquake (wait, lemme guess ... heavy-set guy?), Joey Medina, Al Madrigal and Aries Spears. Tickets, $25.50-$75, are on sale now.

And speaking of comedy, wiseacre Demetri Martin will headline the Wiltern on Nov. 20, with tickets, $39.75, on sale Friday, July 23, at 10 a.m.

Also at that art-deco landmark are two swell indie-rock attractions: another return from Broken Bells (aka Danger Mouse and the Shins' James Mercer), Oct. 6, $27.50-$32.50, on sale Friday at noon ... and the reunion of the '93-'96 lineup of Guided by Voices, Oct. 4, right around the time that Robert Pollard and that group will appear in Las Vegas for Matador Records' 21st anniversary celebration. Those tickets, $29.50, go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m.

But back to Gibson: breakout hip-hop star Drake plays there Nov. 4, with Clipse opening, $44.50-$68.50, on sale Saturday at 1 p.m. ... and the American Carnage Tour continues, arriving Oct. 21, $39.50-$79.50, on sale Friday at 10 a.m. At that show, Slayer will perform Seasons in the Abyss in full, Megadeth will tackle Rust in Peace, Anthrax will feature Joey Belladonna back on vocals, and Testament will open.

Believe it or not, there are events going on sale this weekend other than Coachella.

Daughtry (seen here braving the New Year's Eve chill in Times Square) and his self-named band will launch the second leg of their tour behind sophomore album Leave This Town in mid-March at Baltimore's 1st Mariner Arena. Yet, though the outing is designed for such large spaces -- including May 1 at San Diego Sports Arena, May 4 at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield and May 7 at ARCO Arena in Sacramento -- the group's nearest appearance will be one of its most (relatively) intimate, at the 7,100-capacity Nokia Theatre in L.A. on May 3.

Lifehouse and Cavo are expected to open all shows. Some dates go on sale as soon as this weekend, but probably not the SoCal stops. Expect those to become available in the next two weeks. Stay tuned.

Speaking of Nokia, the Make It Better: Will Ferrell and Friends benefit show Feb. 20 at the theater is having a "Help Haiti" special this Friday: From 10 a.m.-10 p.m. all tickets will be buy-one-get-one-free, with 100 percent of proceeds going to the Red Cross for Haiti relief fund. A who's-who of modern comedy stars are slated to perform: Tenacious D, Demetri Martin, Tim & Eric, Nick Swardson, Aubrey Plaza, Rob Riggle and more. Prices: $45-$250.

Meanwhile, Ricky Gervais, recent Golden Globes host and the finest English comic of the era (save for maybe Eddie Izzard or Russell Brand), will return to L.A. to perform May 15-16 at Nokia Theatre. Tickets, $40-$75, are on sale Friday at 10 a.m.

Nothing trumps KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas lineups for biggest announcement of the week, but as usual there's plenty else worth noting -- especially since next weekend, post-Thanksgiving, is traditionally a dead zone for new shows.

Slayer & Megadeth have teamed for an outing dubbed the American Carnage Tour, with a Long Beach Arena stop planned for Jan. 22. Testament will open. Tickets, $10-$45.50, go on sale Saturday, Nov. 21, at 10 a.m.

Rekindling their days of sharing the Troubadour stage, Hall of Famers Carole King & James Taylor are embarking on a co-headlining tour (called the Troubadour Reunion) that, as previously mentioned, arrives at the Hollywood Bowl on May 14. Tickets, $17.50-$175, go on sale Monday at 10 a.m.

It's been a few years since Rufus Wainwright put out a new studio work -- instead he's issued two live albums (one devoted to Judy Garland, the other his own material) and produced his first opera, Prima Donna. Yet the tireless singer-songwriter is getting back on the road, with a performance planned for Jan. 9 at Long Beach Terrace Theatre. Tickets, $32.50-$49.50, go on sale Friday at 10 a.m.

Soul star Robin Thicke is headed back to L.A. to play Dec. 21 at Club Nokia, with Ryan Leslie and Laura Izibor opening. Tickets, $45-$75, go on sale Friday at 10 a.m.

The Grove of Anaheim has added shows from the opposite ends of the hip spectrum. Far to the now side is Comedy Central star Demetri Martin (pictured), he of Important Things with Demetri Martin and the forthcoming film Taking Woodstock, who will appear at the venue on Aug. 30, $35.

Far toward yesteryear, on the other hand, is Billy Squier, he of "The Stroke" and "Everybody Wants You," who plays Le Grove on Sept. 23, $32.50-$49.50. Both shows go on sale Saturday, July 11, at noon. Both will have opening acts to be named later.

Club Nokia has a quartet of new dates: English trio Placebo, touring behind its sixth album Battle for the Sun, Sept. 20, $29.50 ... the mighty Motorhead with Reverend Horton Heat and Chelsea Girls, Oct. 9, $36.50 ... Christian rock band Skillet with Hawk Nelson, Decyfer Down and Breaking the Silence, Oct. 23, $17.50-$45 ... and the Black Crowes with Truth & Salvage Co., Nov. 28, $48.50-$55. All of those go on sale Friday at 10 .am.